Robert Gerhart Kirchhoff

KIRCHHHOFF
ROBERT GERHART KIRCHHOFF

On Friday, April 6, 2007, ROBERT GERHART KIRCHHOFF of North Fort Myers, FL, formerly of Chantilly, VA, died as a result of pancreatic cancer.

Bob was born on May 9, 1935 into a career military family in Morgantown, WV. Bob was the first born son of the late Col. Arthur August Gerhart Kirchhoff and Aline Williams Kirchhoff.

Bob's primary education included schools across the United States and worldwide highlighted by a two-year period in Yokohama, Japan during the late 1940's. He graduated from Lowell High School in San Francisco, CA and received his undergraduate degree in physics from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina in Charleston in 1957.

Bob retired from the Federal Communications Commission in 2002 after 27 years of employment as a computer systems analyst. Bob felt his greatest achievement in life, after raising and educating his two daughters, Kathleen and Allison, was during his employment with Grumman Aerospace Corporation at Kennedy Space Center. During the mid 1960's, Bob's efforts helped to put Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's footprints on the Moon's surface via Apollo 11 in July 1969.

Bob is survived by his wife, Patsy Gummerson Kirchhoff, his two daughters, Kathleen Elizabeth Kirchhoff Shankle of Centreville, VA and Allison Marie Kirchhoff Stancliff of Bealeton, VA and their mother Norma Pace of Fairfax, VA as well as his five granddaughters, Megan, Emma and Hayley Shankle and Rachel and Alexis Stancliff. Bob's two brothers Curtis Williams Kirchhoff of Ocean Falls, BC and David Smallman Kirchhoff of Tiburon, CA also survive him.

A memorial service will be observed at Pender United Methodist Church, Fairfax, VA on May 6, 2007 at 5 p.m., where Bob and Patsy met, sang in the church choir and were married. The inurnment will occur prior to the memorial service at 3:00 pm at Stonewall Memory Gardens, 12004 Lee Highway, Manassas, VA. An additional memorial service will be held at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, N. Ft. Myers on May 20, 2007 at 11:15 a.m. for his Floridian friends and extended family. Bob and Patsy have been members at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church since 2003.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Hope Hospice at 9470 Healthpark Circle, Ft. Myers, FL 33908, where Bob received exceptional care during the final stages of his illness. Otherwise, please consider a donation to the American Cancer Society.